How to fix an Apple Watch stuck on the Apple logo

One of the most annoying problems plaguing the Apple Watch is a screen stuck displaying the company’s logo. This issue can seemingly affect all models, but it occurs more often on older devices like the Series 3. If you have an older watch lying around with this problem, we may be able to help. Below you’ll find several ways to resolve the Apple Watch stuck on the Apple logo issue.

How to fix an Apple Watch stuck on Apple logo

There’s no single fix for this problem, so there’s a good chance that you’ll have to troubleshoot your way through it using multiple methods.

First, be sure that your watch is on its charging cradle and getting some power. Next, follow the steps below.

Hard rebooting (or force resetting) will force your Apple Watch to initiate its reboot sequence even if you can’t access controls and settings on the screen. It’s a practical step that works across all Apple Watch models and solves most temporary software-related issues on these devices.

Try a new charging cable

If you have access to a secondary charging cable, now’s the time to bring it out. A damaged charging cable may not provide the power the Apple Watch demands.

• Plug in the new charging cable or charger and place the Apple Watch on it.
• Wait a few minutes to see if the watch is charging.
• If a faulty charging cable was the problem, the Apple Watch should charge up in a few minutes and boot normally.
• Additionally, you may want to give it a head start by hard rebooting it using the method above.

See also: How to charge your Apple Watch

This is one of the stranger solutions you’ll find online. If a hard reboot or new charging cable fails to fix the problem, prompting the watch’s Find My feature from their iPhone may snap the device out of its trance.

To use the Find My feature:

• Open the Find My app on your iPhone.
• Tap the Devices tab.
• Tap your Apple Watch.
• Tap Play Sound to make it ring. You may have to do this up to three times.
• Let the watch ring for a dozen seconds or so, then stop it.
• If all goes well, your watch should return to normal once the sound stops.

Read more: How to find your Apple Watch when it’s lost or stolen

Unpair the watch

If the left-field solution above didn’t solve your problem, consider this additional fix that requires your iPhone. Unpairing the Apple Watch from your iPhone and initiating a hard reboot may be enough for the watch to reinitiate its pairing system, snapping it out of its logo loop.

To unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone:

• Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
• Go to My Watch > All Watches.
• Tap Unpair Apple Watch.
• At this point, you may have to input your iCloud details to disable the Activation Lock.
• Once your watch is unpaired from your iPhone, hard reboot your watch.

Read more: How to unpair the Apple Watch from your iPhone

Let the battery drain

Finally, one solution that requires a little more time involves letting your Apple Watch’s battery drain completely. Depending on when the logo issue crops up, this process could take a few hours to several days.

• Once its battery is completely dead, placing the watch back on its charger should initiate a normal reboot.

More details: How long does the Apple Watch battery last?

Consider upgrading

Depending on the age of your Apple Watch, there may not be much else you can do. We’ve seen plenty of users online face this issue with older Apple Watch models. Repairs may cost more than the device itself.

Check your warranty

If your newer Apple Watch is stuck on the Apple logo, confirm if your warranty is up. In the US, your Apple Watch is covered by a one-year warranty against “defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Apple’s published guidelines.” Depending on the issue, your device may be covered.

More troubleshooting: The most common Apple Watch problems and how to fix them